Hastings smash five past Croydon

A run of one win in nine games and the resignation of manager Steve Lovell hasn't made the Pilot Field the happiest of places in recent weeks, but this thumping victory would have at least put a smile back on the faces of Hastings supporters.

It wasn't as if Hastings played really well, but they didn't have to against a Croydon side whose position at the foot of Ryman Division One was rubber-stamped by a largely anonymous performance.

The outcome was all but settled by half time as Hastings scored three times during a devastating seven minute spell through Carl Rook, Peter Sayer and Sean Ray. Second half strikes from Rook again and Andy Ducille completed Hastings' biggest win of the season.

The match took its time to get going as both teams struggled to find any pattern to their play. There were, however, a couple of chances with Rook forcing goalkeeper Terry Clinton into action and Bronek Dabrowa firing across the goal of Chris May, back at Hastings after re-signing on work experience from Brighton & Hove Albion.

Rook and Clinton were then involved in a personal duel in which Hastings' leading scorer could have bagged a 10-minute hat-trick, but each effort went straight at the goalkeeper - the best chance being a close range shot from Mitchell Sherwood's deflected cross.

Rook finally made one count when on 36 minutes Clinton failed to gather a defensive header and the Hastings man nipped in to tuck the ball into an empty net.

This was the cue for the floodgates to open as seconds later a long ball was nodded into the path of Peter Sayer who from the right hand edge of the box unleashed a half volley which flashed across the dive of Clinton and nestled in the bottom corner. Sayer showed his delight at a great strike by kissing his shirt badge as he wheeled away in celebration.

A couple of minutes before half time Sherwood forced Clinton into a spectacular tip round the post but from the corner Ray bulldozed to the front of the queue to head home.

With the game as good as won Hastings struggled to recapture their form in the second half and Croydon began to pose the occasional threat, although May was pretty much equal to anything that came his way.

Rook made it four just past the hour with a well-struck snap-shot before John Pomroy pulled one back 17 minutes from time with the deftest of touches from a right wing cross.

Russell Eldridge and Rook then struck the post but the latter's effort rebounded to Ducille who waltzed past a couple of challenges to shoot low into the Croydon net for an injury time fifth.